Carry On
by Tanook
Summary: A young Pokemon trainer begins a new journey, and a new life, in the mysterious region of Kalos. With a new alibi, and hopefully a way to escape her past, our character doesn't plan to play the game by the rules.
1. Leaving

_Carry On_

_Chapter One: Leaving_

_Chiii. Chiiiiing!_

A harsh poke in my side awakes me, and I sit up with a jolt. "_Ow,_ wha-.. Fletching? Really?"

The tawny bird Pokemon lands on my lap with a mischievous caw, then proceeds to pull away my bedcovers.

"I was going to get up, you know," I groan, massaging the ache in my side. "But good morning to you, too." I rub the sleep from my eyes and look around the room. It's still rather messy; there had been no time for rest in the past week - month, really - as my mother and I moved our life to another region. Even now, a few short days after the move, a few boxes lie in the corner, strewn with clothing and something that looks suspiciously like bird feces. Rather shameless, I know, but who cares when you don't have anyone to impress? Even our adolescent Fletching Pokemon, who was given to us by my aunt as a welcoming present, has more friends than I. Not even my new flatscreen television helps, and it keeps replaying some show about an old man and his cat.

Fletching chirps once more and heads downstairs, eying me with a gaze only a mother should know. "Yeah, yeah," I retort with a reluctant smile, and I quickly make my bed, change and head downstairs, hoisting a small purse over my shoulder. Social life or not, today is the day I finally start my new life. This time, I won't need any second chances.

* * *

_Kalos._ The word itself sounds powerful, a new destination. My feet blindly drag me to the kitchen as I lose myself in thought.

"Alice, honey. Did you catch that?"

I glance up. "Oh. Um, sure."

My mother raises a quizzical brow. "How about it, then? You'll go meet the neighbors?"

"What?" A sigh escapes my lips, and I cross my arms impatiently. "Mom, for one thing, the professor himself wants to get me started on a Pokemon journey. A _Pokemon journey_! And two, I thought we moved here to get away from the whole social thing?"

Mom gives me a hard look. "I happen to know about the professor, and the reason we're giving you this opportunity is so you can meet people. We talked about this!"

Of course we did. As hard as it was to leave my old hometown, nothing appealed to me more than starting a journey with Pokemon of my own, in a new place with unfamiliar territory. It was like taking that clear, fresh breath after a rain. And hey, having friends couldn't take that feeling away, right?

I nod and smile slightly, hugging my mother tightly. "I know. I'm sorry, its just exciting."

She returns the hug. "Of course. I felt that way, too, you know. But you can't shy away now. Go on." Hug, kiss on the forehead. I can see the trace of a tear in her eyes. _Mom stuff._

"Alright," I begin, pulling back and adjusting my bag. My lips curl in a sarcastic smile. "I gotta hurry before you have a nervous breakdown and bar my windows." Waving goodbye, I step out the door and sigh. Leaving what little I had made me realize what I have here, what I _can_ have. And I don't intend to waste that.

* * *

/Hey guys, my name is Nookie and I'll be your storyteller today!

So, I got a copy of X and it's been amazing! This story is on the PC, player character, not specifically my own but a general character. I won't be following the entire storyline to the letter: there will definitely be little plot twists, extra/modified dialogue, and overall a lot of added content that you don't get in the story itself. In addition, I might take some names down and add them in the story somewhere, AND possibly take suggestions from the readers, so if you'd like to be a part of this adventure than feel free to chime in!

Cheers! Nookie


	2. Hello

_Carry On_

_Chapter Two : Hello_

"And then we can ALL go on this journey together. Isn't it great?" The girl smiles wide, her wild brown hair bobbing up and down at the slightest movement.

I can't help but smile back. This girl - Shauna, I think it was - has such a peppy personality, I'm not sure if I want to laugh or hit her on the head. Even her wardrobe is…unusual, to say the least; she is wearing a bright pink shirt with a bow tie pattern, skinny jean shorts with some sort of black tutu at the end, and her hair is tied in wide circlets around her head. _There's always that one person, I suppose._

The boy to my left catches my eye, and he gives an understanding grin. He has a large black sachel around his shoulder, a red hat seating a pair of glasses, a blue sweater and jeans. Normal, I suppose, but then again I haven't been paying attention to the latest fashions. Realizing this, I blush at my simple black top and red skirt. Maybe I should go get some more rugged-type wear?

Too late. The girl reaches out and tugs at my arm impatiently, giggling all the while. "Anyways, Alice, this is Calem. Calem, Alice, Alice, Calem. Say hi, now!"

I nod at the boy, who reaches out to shake my hand. Deep inside, I sort of hope he hasn't noticed my name. "Nice to meet you, Alice, and welcome to Vaniville Town. I'm your neighbor." _Well, there goes that._ He glances to the next house over, where a small child is playing on the lawn. "My mom would normally throw our new neighbors a welcoming party, but she's on a trip at the moment. Research and all that, you know."

"Yeah," I respond, suddenly noticing that I'm still shaking his hand. "Oh, uh, nice to meet you, too." I pull back, embarrassed, and turn to Shauna. "I thought there were five of us."

She points at the empty chairs. "There are, silly, but the other two will be here in a bit. I can't wait to meet them, can you?"

To be honest, I'm a little out of it. Meeting these two people was nerve-wracking enough, but it was easier than I thought. Maybe it's because there seem to be no silent moments with this Shauna around. Even so, I hope the others aren't so hard to talk to. I'm not one for starting conversations.

I bite my lip nervously and peer around the area. It's nice enough here; the morning air was a bit chilly but this restaurant is surrounded with small heating lamps, which take the edge from the cold. There are a few tables around the small diner, all spotless and vacant. The whole town seems rather desolated, excluding the manager of the diner, who is busy wiping clean some wine glasses; us, obviously, huddled around a small table, clutching at mugs of hot chocolate; and then two others, running towards our table, one waving his hand eagerly.

"HEEEEY!" The taller one reaches us first, holding his hand out for high fives. His voice reverberates in the still air. "Nice to meet'cha! And you, and you! Ladies," he smiles at Shauna and me, "You can call me Tierno." Walking around to take a seat, he motions over his friend. "This is Trevor! He may look shy, act shy, and otherwise _be_ shy, but he's actually a really cool kid!"

I smile at each, with an inward sigh of relief. They don't seem too bad, and apparently already know each other. Standing in stark contrast, the taller kid is heavier built, with a Vanillite-patterned shirt (yes, I did study the Unova region), a heavy yellow sachet, and a haircut that looks like a Mudkip frill. His friend, on the other hand, is lanky and rather short, with long orange hair and a collared vest. He gazes timidly at each of us from under his bangs.

"Nice to meet you both," I begin quickly, before Shauna bursts into an introduction. "This is Shauna, and this is Calem." I motion to each of my comrades in turn, smiling innocently as Shauna gives me a confused look.

"But what about you, Al-"

"You two are here to get your Pokemon as well, correct?" I interrupt.

Trevor nods. "A-actually, we already got ours. The reason we were late was because Professor Sycamore - that's the Pokemon professor of Kalos, by the way - had asked us to pick up the case with our equipment and everything. It's not usual for him to give this out so easily, but he's known Tierno and me for a long time and trusts us, and Professor Sycamore had a call to another town."

"That must be where my mother went, as well," Calem adds. "But that aside, do you have our Pokemon?" He seems fidgety, I notice; his hands are clenched together on his lap, and there is a serious glimmer in his eye.

Trevor reaches into his backpack, and Tierno leans over, picks up a metal box near his feet, and places it on the table. "Take your pick," he grins, and pops the lid open with a small _click._

Inside lie three small Pokeballs.

And one decision.

* * *

/Hey everyone!

As I go along into the story, I might post longer chapters. As it is, I'm trying to sort everything out, and the best way to save everything (and how I can post more often) is to shorten what I have. Plus, I'm editing the next chapters to add in a few of you guys.

QotD: What starter would you pick, and why?

Cheers! Nookie


	3. Chipper

_Carry On_

_Chapter Three: Chipper_

I reach out to grab a red and white-capped sphere, pausing hesitantly before taking one. At my touch, the Pokeball dims ever so slightly, and I see the pale silhouette of a…frog..?

Oh, wait, _no_. I did _not_ ask for this one. No, _no_, nononononono.

Too late.

"So, this one is mine then," Shauna declares, reaching in to grab the second Pokeball. "This one is Fennekin, right? It's perfect! My Li'l Fennekin!" She cradles the Pokeball to her chest and coos fondly.

Calem raises a brow before taking the last Pokeball. "Well, I suppose this one is mine then. Come on out!" He tosses the item a few feet away, rising from his seat in anticipation.

**Pshooof!**

_ Chespin! _A small, otter-like Pokemon jumps out in a puff of smoke, chattering curiously. It wears a hat made of thick green quills, which bob as he turns to face us. _ Pin? _

I smother the urge to grab him and run.

"Chespin, hello." Calem looks down at his Pokemon with a soft smile. "I am Calem. Because of you, I can be a real Pokemon trainer at last. Thank you." The Chespin cocks its head and gives a satisfied grunt.

"Well, now," Tierno says, pushing away from the table. "Trevs and I have to get going. There's a wicked flash mob in the next town over, starring ME! We have to return this stuff to the professor so we can get started, too." He gathers the metal box and tucks it under his arm, slipping out some thin disks from a pocket on the side of the box. "Oh, and these are for you!" Handing each one of us a disk, Tierno flashes a grin. "Pokedexes, the coolest thing since rock! Apparently, these are even more advanced than some other regions, and it has a bunch of slots in it that allow for later upgrades! So when you find a whole different group of Pokemon, they'll be saved in a different category, or something." He pauses. "The only thing is, I don't exactly know how to get the other slots… But that doesn't matter now! My party awaits!"

"Hold on, please," The orange-haired one finally straightens upright, closing his backpack. "I have this for you,….

"….

"What did you say your name was, again?"

_Crap._ I gaze nonchalantly at the diner menu. _Tired of the same old Garbodor? Would you like to try something Numel? Try our new Sunyshore-style chips and dips! We guarantee it'll taste a Swalot better than our puns!_

"Call me…Chipper." It's the best I can do at the moment, and hey, anything is better at this point.

"Sure… Chipper, then. I have this Hologram for your mother. It's from the professor."

"Hologram, huh?" I take the bulky envelope from his hands and glare at it. This thing could be about anything, and with my lack of intuition it's probably just some welcoming card, things to know about Kalos, yadda yadda. But since the removal of my mom's wedding ring, well, a lot of male visitors around our old town have been unusually interested in our personal lives. Let's just say I won't appreciate coming back home and finding my ditzy parent hitting it off with renowned professor of the entire region. _Thanks, but no thanks._

My gaze returns to the ginger. "I heard about this 'Holo Caster' thing from the fliers. I think the lady on the cruise even gave me one, but I wasn't exactly…paying attention." _Does jamming my headphones in and glaring at some smug little kid and his creepy worm Pokemon count as not paying attention?_ "Are letters nonexistent here?"

"Letters? _HAH!_ Who even writes anymore?" Tierno guffaws, looking at me as if expecting me to laugh along; I wait. "The Holo Caster is the new thing now, invented by some guy who is good friends with the professor and all, but obviously there are still letters being sent around." He sticks his tongue out at me, in the style that I could only call anime. I didn't even know that was possible. "There are Wingull and Fletchinders flying around all day with mail, if you haven't noticed." I want to retort back at him but his tone is softer now, and besides it's pretty hard to get mad at this guy.

"Lysandre," Trevor says, flashing us a curious look. "His research has become pretty famous around these parts. But Professor Sycamore said that he seemed pretty interested in our journey; maybe we'll be able to meet him someday!" He pumps a fist, which surprises me, since he's hardly even come out from behind his bangs since we've met. "I'm going to fill up the Pokedex, and learn everything about the secret of Kalos! Chipper," he adds, giving me a determined smile, "we should do our best! The professor is counting on all of us!"

I can't help it; Trevor's excitement is contagious. "We'll be the best trainers of all Kalos, all of us."

"And the cutest!" Shauna giggles, clapping her hands together.

"Right," says Calem, accompanied by a cheer from his Pokemon. "Just keep getting stronger, everyone. I'll be waiting for you at the finish line!"

It's hard to believe that so much can happen in a morning. But suddenly, I realize that in a matter of hours, four complete strangers have become my closest friends.

* * *

/D'aww!

Alright, so I'll be doing the bulk of my work on the weekends, but now that we've gotten through the introductions, the story is about to get much more plot-based. And yes, I do know where the story is going, or at least the bare bones of it, but as I flesh it out expect to see a lot more reader interaction!

On that note, what do you think of our characters so far?

Cheers! Nookie


	4. Dear Diary

_Carry On_

_Chapter Four : Dear Diary_

Hey guys, Trevor here. (I say this metaphorically, because of course there's no way I would show this to anyone. Am I the _only_ person who keeps a diary? That's slightly embarrassing.) I thought it would be a good idea to jot down my day-to-day findings: I'm starting my official Pokemon adventure today, after all! I got myself this notebook to keep updates of what I find. It's green, which wasn't my first choice when it comes to designs, but at least it won't stand out when I'm with my friends. Which brings me to...

I have friends! I mean, I'm lucky enough as it is to know Tierno, but to be honest I expected the other chosen trainers to be a lot more self-absorbed, or at the very least unsociable. Perhaps I should stop expecting stereotypes... All of the others are actually pretty nice to me, especially this one girl. (She said her name is Chipper, but I looked it up and that's no girl name, even in other regions!)

After our first meeting, T and I returned to Professor Sycamore. He was with this other guy...guess who?

LYSANDRE! Esteemed researcher alongside the professor, inventor of the Holo Caster and founder of Lysandre Labs. He was pretty nice: he said some stuff about how we can help save this world and how future generations are becoming more and more unstable. Can you believe I got to meet him? Me? (Well, and Tierno, but he wasn't nearly as excited as I!)

I know it sounds cliché (whenever I say this kind of stuff out loud, it ends up sounding really cheesy), but I am sincerely going to try my best. I don't want to miss out on anything, and with my new friends I have something to work toward.

Updates to come!  
Trevor, aka T-Dog, aka Trevvie  
(...Oh, forget it.)


	5. Bubble

_Carry On_  
_Chapter Five : Bubble_

It's about time to show off my new Pokemon. I was starting to think I could capture a wild critter without even having to pull out my own, and I even bought as many Pokeballs I could with a budget, but as I stare into the leering eyes of a Pidgey, I know that will not be possible.

"Come on out," I say, in a half-yell that cracks my voice. I whip out my wrist and throw the Pokeball out in front of me. There is a crackly _shoooof!_, and it comes out.

I resist the urge to flinch.

In front of my stands my starter. Blue and white, with a dark blue stripe running from the middle of its forehead down its back, Froakie has a sort of cottony white puff around its collar. It's hands (hands? Paws? Same difference) are white, and eyes yellow. Jumping up and down excitedly, it looks at the wild Pokemon with a grin, then glances back at me for instructions.

I take out my Pokedex, which has just started beeping wildly. **"New Data Acquired,"** reads the front of the screen, and as I pop the item open a robotic voice reads for me. **"Froakie, the Bubble Frog Pokemon. It secretes flexible bubbles from its chest and back, which help reduce attack damage. Beneath its happy-go-lucky air, it keeps a watchful eye on its surroundings. Spotted: male Froakie, moves known: Pound,..Growl,..Bubble... Dex information acquired for Pidg-"** I shut off the Pokedex, figuring that if this keeps up, we'll never get this over with. Turning to my Froakie, who already begins to look uneasy, I raise a hand.

"Froakie," I murmur, unsteadily raising my voice, "try out your Bubble attack!"

The little Pokemon nods and spurts out a barrage of bubbles from the cotton wads over its chest. The Pidgey swats them away as best he can, but a good amount of bubbles envelop him, some popping in his open beak and others pummeling against his body. I begin to smile before realizing that the bird Pokemon is already preparing a next attack.

_Pidgey! _it screeches, and lashes out with its beak. The Froakie stiffens up, but he still lets out a small cry as the bird throws him back. However, it only takes a moment; Froakie hops up and whips out his palm, punching the Pidgey as it recovers from its own attack. The Pidgey in turn stumbles back, holding his wings up protectively over his stomach, wobbling uncertainly.

Now is as good as ever, I suppose, and my hands fumble over an empty Pokeball. For some reason, seeing the Pidgey comforts me; it's as if a piece of Kanto came with me. "P-Pidgey, come on!" I lob the empty sphere at the bird; the Pidgey disappears inside the Pokeball with a puff of smoke; everything slows for the moment as the critter struggles inside, and then subsides; _click_.

I laugh aloud, despite myself, smiling gratefully at the Froakie and reaching out for the fly Pokeball as it whisks toward me like a boomerang. A silhouette of the Pokemon is visible in the dawn, and I gaze into the shadows of a Pokemon exploring its surroundings. "Hello, Pidgey," I whisper, and the Pokemon pauses, turns toward my voice, let's out a barely audible _Pidgey!_ The Froakie jumps beside me, looking in the Pokeball and tittering to the bird in a language of its own; at the bird's response, he lets out a happy squee. It's funny, but it takes me a while to remember that I don't like Froakie. I straighten up.

"Good job, Froakie," my voice come out stiffly once more. "Return!" And with a click of a button, he disappears back into his host Pokeball.

The sun is just starting to break, so I decide to take a rest from searching and plop down on the cool grass. A small Fletching chirps from some ways away, but I ignore any challenge, and with a dismal chirp it hops away.

It's getting so warm. I close my eyes and listen to a flight of Wingulls soaring over the trees, one carrying a small sack of mail. I thought of the Holo Caster, delivering it to my mother. She had been excited, had carried it inside after a hug, had looked at the package like a small ray of hope. I wondered how many engagement rings she had accumulated over my absence of what, an hour now? At least Rhyhorn, our aging 'house pet' that came with us from Kanto, was sympathetic. Especially after I told him about Froakie.

There was a small insignia on the envelope, with a Pokeball-slash-S signature, and a small outline of a person that I guessed could only be Sycamore himself. He looked creepy, to say the least. Maybe it's simply the suspicion that the professor was hitting on my mother made me that had me glaring at the memory. I wondered if he would be just as I pictured him.

My thoughts were interrupted as a rather disheveled Wingull swooped past me and into a bush, a small, slightly damp piece of parchment strapped to its ankle.

* * *

/Hello all!

I promise not to make every Pokemon battle the same; I know how in the game, wild Pokemon running into you every seven steps can get a little old. (Trust me, I've survived generations of Victory Road!)

QotD: What is your very favorite part about X/Y?

(Mine is how there are at least 5 new species in every area. I wandered in every route for more than half an hour and still haven't caught everything!)

Also, thanks so much for the support! I really appreciate all the good criticism I can get~ ^_^

Cheers! Nookie


	6. Lessons

_Carry On_  
_Chapter Six : Lessons_

Calem wanders into a patch of tallgrass, cooing softly at the Fletchling. He motions me closer, and as I fall in step behind him, he takes out his Pokeball and throws it in front of the bird Pokemon.

It's a Chespin, the grass type starter Pokémon. With an excited chirrup, the Chespin turns to its trainer for instructions. Calem raises his voice. "Tackle," he commands. Chespin obliges, running at the bird with full force, curling his body inward at the last second to attack in full momentum. It's not a regular tackle, but a strategic one, using the Pokemon's momentum to attack with instead of brute strength, a combination that not only hurts but saves energy as well.

I smile slightly as the Fletchling retaliates with a growl. Already, Calem seems to be utilizing the natural powers of his Pokemon to his advantage. It's comforting to have him as an ally.

"Look here, neighbor," he says quietly, reaching in his bag and pulling out a small Pokeball. "This is how you catch a wild Pokemon!" He hands his bag to me to free his hands, then reeling back and tossing the Pokeball at the Fletchling with force. "Come on now!" His fists clench and I bite my lip, nervous at his steely determination. Nonetheless, the Pokeball shakes once, twice, a pathetic third time before snapping shut.

Calem straightens and looks at me proudly. "And that, neighbor, is how you catch a Pokemon."

I resist telling him that I've already caught two Pokemon, and seen dozens more.

* * *

/Howdy everyone!

Sorry for the lack of updates lately, once again I'll be doing the bulk of my work on weekends. On that note, I have a kitten! Nameless as of now, as my mother disproves of Luffy (OnePiece)... It's black with white socks, any suggestions?

Also it is a time skip, I didn't forget a chapter. Hang onto your hats!

QotD: What is your LEAST favorite part about X/Y?  
I caught at least three Pokemon before I reached this part! they should at least give us the chance to skip it, or Exp. Points for taking the tutorial :P

Cheers! Nookie


End file.
